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Disney Channel launches free app for kids with exclusive new content

If you’re looking for a cheap and fun way to keep the kids entertained over the Christmas break, Disney Channel has released a new FREE app for 6-12 year olds.

The new Disney Channel app offers kids the opportunity to engage with their favourite Disney TV programmes and characters through games, video, memes, GIFs and images. Disney fans can get tutorials from their favourite stars, or go behind-the-scenes on their favourite shows with new content and footage exclusive to the new app. Best of all, the app is completely free with no in-app purchases!

Fans of Disney Channel hits such as Descendants and The Lodge will be able to re-watch their favourite moments from the series, including full episodes, scene lifts, music videos and sing-alongs from various Disney Originals.

There is also a selection of brand new mini-games for children to enjoy, featuring their favourite characters from their favourite shows.

The full list of shows and original movies featured on the app is as follows: The Lodge, Teen Beach Movie 2, Disney Channel Vlog, High School Musical, BUNK’D, Descendants, Bizaardvark, Miraculous, Liv and Maddie, Miraculous, K.C. Undercover, Stuck in the Middle, Elena of Avalor, JESSIE, Girl Meet World, Best Friends Whenever, Backstage, Austin & Ally and Minnie Mouse.

New Kickstarter hopes to fund computer-written horror movie

“The power of artificial intelligence. The creativity of humans. Introducing the world’s first machine co-written feature film!” reads the Kickstarter headline for Impossible Things. Hoping to mark the next step in… read more

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New Kickstarter hopes to fund computer-written horror movie

“The power of artificial intelligence. The creativity of humans. Introducing the world’s first machine co-written feature film!” reads the Kickstarter headline for Impossible Things.

Hoping to mark the next step in “human-computer collaboratively-created original content”, tech firm Greenlight Essentials has set out to raise $30,000 Canadian dollars for a new computer-assisted horror movie. The project credits its “Analytical Terminal” as a co-writer on the screenplay, which has been designed to collate movie trends and smoosh them into a great new plot.

This is why the people at Greenlight Essentials think that computers do it better (their bolds and italics):

“The traditional creative process does not take advantage of the amount of information available today. Anyone can create something but, when trying to create good content for a large audience, the process is fundamentally flawed. Without information to see the full picture, it is hard to know what everyone wants and this is why we see 87% of films in the box office fail to break even.”

Kickstarter backers who pledge $1,500 Canadian dollars will be mailed “a collectible mysterious prop that was used in the actual movie”, while backers who pledge $8,000 can “appear in the movie for a few seconds for a non-spreaking role”.

The Kickstarter is currently at $10,613 of its $30,000 goal, owing to 125 backers.

With 51 days to go of the campaign, are Greenlight onto something, or are they striving to achieve (ahem) ‘impossible things’?

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Here’s how watching sport with Microsoft’s HoloLens could look

Microsoft has released a video outlining its vision for the future of sports on television using its new HoloLens device, and the results are breathtaking.

“The Future of Football: How Technology Could Shape the Next 50 Years of the Game” was originally shared yesterday at the Super Bowl 50 panel discussion. In the video, the Superbowl is projected beyond the confines of the television onto the entire wall, and also displays player and team statistics on the coffee table. Both real players and key moment replays could be projected through high-definition 3D displays, allowing viewers the ability to experience the game from all angles.

The Microsoft HoloLens claims to be “the first fully untethered, holographic computer, enabling high-definition holograms to integrate with your world”. It is another step in the path of virtual reality, augmenting real life with realistic 3D holograms. It will cost a whopping $3000, which is about the same price as a seat at the 2016 Superbowl. Which would you prefer?

It is important to note that this concept video offers only an example of what could be possible from the new device, with industry testers suggesting the HoloLens prototypes are currently far from the capabilities suggested in the concept video. But as a taster for what is to come, we are incredibly excited.

Check out the concept video here:

Superbowl coverage begins at 10.50pm on BBC Two and 10pm on Sky Sports 1 on Sunday, February 7. Kick off is at 11.30pm.

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Unlock 76,000 new Netflix categories with this cool secret codes hack

Ever opened up Netflix knowing exactly what kind of film you were looking for, yet found yourself met with frustration as you scrolled through the service’s limited genre categories? We certainly have. All of that is about to change, however, thanks to a cool hack that opens up a whole new world of Netflix categories.

Because Netflix uses an algorithm that only gives you genre options based on what it thinks might interest you, there are thousands upon thousands of movies and TV shows that lay neglected as you seek your next streaming selection. So allow us to blow your minds by letting you in on the secret of the service’s special codes.

We all know that if you search Netflix for a certain genre, like “Action & Adventure”, you’ll get a special URL for that particular category that reads something like “http://www.netflix.com/browse/genre/1365.” But did you know that if you tinker around with the numbers at the end of the URL, you can unlock thousands of sub-genres and categories for your viewing pleasure?!

For example, “2852” will bring up “Exciting B-Horror Movies”, while you can access categories as specific as “Feel-Good Sports Movies For Ages 8 to 10” with code “855”, and “British Coming-of-Age Movies” with ID “2386”.

For an extensive list of genre categories such as “Action & Adventure based on a book from the 1970s” and “Cerebral French-Language Movies from the 1950s”, visit Ogres Crypt.

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Sky Sets TV Free with next-gen home entertainment system, Sky Q

Today, viewers around the UK have finally received the answer to Sky’s tantalising teaser campaign promising to ‘Set TV Free‘, as the entertainment giants have unveiled Sky Q: a brand new, next-generation entertainment system promising to open up a whole new way of watching TV.

What is this magical, transformative new system, you ask?

Sky Q is essentially a range of set-top boxes, hubs and apps that combine satellite and internet TV viewing, allowing viewers to watch programmes seamlessly across different screens and on the go.

For example, Sky Q allows viewers to pause a show in one room, then continue to watch it from that point in another room. Incredible! Customers will also be able to download programmes to their tablet to watch on the go. As if that weren’t enough, apps including YouTube and Vevo will also be available through the system, and Sky Q boxes will also double as Wi-Fi hotspots. Whew!

The new SkyQ box.

Sky’s Chief Executive Jeremy Darroch said of the launch: “We wanted to reimagine TV so that it’s flexible and seamless across different screens”.

Meanwhile, Sky’s director of new products Andrew Olson said: “What we found is that the experience is something that you just can’t create without really controlling all the pieces of hardware and software, so we’ve brought all of that together into this new experience”.

We look forward to Sky Q becoming available in the UK and Ireland in early 2016.

The good people at Sky have also brightened our Christmas with these wonderful gift solutions: a range of limited edition, festive NOW TV boxes. Boasting beautiful designs of bows, polar bears, reindeer and, uh, Fungus the Bogeyman, we hope to find at least one of these little gems in our stockings on December 25th!

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How To Watch International Television From The UK

One of the major disadvantages to living in the UK is having to wait months to see our favourite US TV shows on our screens, especially when the internet is a plethora of spoilers. Some of our economist buddies might even call it ‘market failure.’ However, there are a few ways to hack the system and watch the television you want, how you want it. Here’s how to watch international television from the UK.

Warning: Security issues may exist among VPNs. Any actions taken as a result of reading information on these pages are at the reader’s own risk. Please adhere to the Terms and Conditions of all services mentioned in this article.

What is a VPN?
A virtual private network, or VPN, is a means of connecting a computer to a remote network. Instead of connecting to the internet using a normal network such as broadband, users connect to a separate network and send and receive data through that network. They are thus able to benefit from the files, software and security of the private network from an external location.

What can you use a VPN for?
VPNs are usually used for people to access the internet, files and software from a different location to where these items are stored. For example, people working away from the office will often connect to a VPN to gain access to their files and functionalities stored locally on their office computers.

Television lovers will also be keen to hear that VPNs can also be used to access geo-blocked content online. Websites such as American on demand giant Hulu know where you are based from your IP address – by logging into a VPN, you can acquire that network’s IP address. If a user accesses a US based VPN, their IP address will be American and they will be able to access usually restricted content. In addition, users are virtually anonymous, with their IP masked by that of the VPN.

Advantages to using a VPN
Anonymous web browsing: A VPN changes your IP address to the IP address of the VPN, enabling users to mask their identity when browsing online.
VPNs can be completely encrypted to protect users from hackers, neighbours or nosy agencies. This is especially useful at free Wifi locations. The VPN creates a private ‘tunnel’ for your data to travel through. Even if your data is intercepted, your identity will be protected through the VPN masking your IP address.
VPNs can be easy to set up if the device has a VPN client installed.

How to set up your own VPN
Firstly, you will need to configure your device for VPN. Some devices already have VPN clients installed, whereas others will have to be connected to a VPN enabled router prior to setting up your VPN.

You will then need to obtain a VPN account, which are available for a small cost online. The details procured from your account will need to be fed into the VPN enabled router as per the router’s instructions.

Once you’ve set up your router, connect streaming devices to this router via a wireless or wired network.

All devices connected to your VPN router will now be connected to the internet using the router’s IP address.

However, if you’re not willing to set up your own VPN, there are plenty of easy alternatives for television fans to try out:

Easy hacks for the international telly fanBrowser Plugins
There are a number of browser plugins that act as a VPN, allowing users to watch international television by locating them in those countries.

The best of the lot is Hola, although some reports have questioned the security issues of this service – so use at your own risk. Hola is available to download from hola.org and is compatible with Chrome, Firefox and Safari. If you’re using Chrome, you can also find Hola in the Extensions section of the Chrome web store.

Using Hola works for Netflix US and most US on demand services. You will still, obviously, have to set up an account with Netflix US (which is a small price to pay for three times the content of Netflix UK).

iTunes US
There’s an easy way of setting up a US iTunes account from offshore. Simply buy an US iTunes gift card for the amount you would like to spend on eBay, then set up a US iTunes account using the gift card voucher code in lieu of billing details. This can be done from a UK based computer without need for a VPN.

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Back To The Tech: Are We In McFly’s Future?

Last Saturday night I attended an outdoor screening of Back To The Future in Dolores Park, San Francisco. The event was great for many reasons ; It was outdoors, free, BYOP [Pinnic] and of course they were showing a classic, one of my personal favorites. Watching the first of Robert Zemecki’s trilogy reminded me that we are fast approaching the time in which Marty McFly (Michael J Fox) travels to. The 1989 sequel takes place in the distant future, a time which is foreign, futuristic and robotic. On 21st October 2015 we will finally be at the point in time to which Marty McFly travels in Back to the Future II.

The future he finds is one which has captured the imagination of millions, and enabled the audience to peek of what may lay ahead in the distant future. The world dreamt up by writer Bob Gale and then brought to the screen by director Robert Zemeckis resembles our own in strange and uncanny ways. Apart from a couple of hopeful shots in the dark credit has to be given to some of the predictions they did get right.

The film correctly anticipates an increased use of technology. No piece in particular from the film captured the public’s imagination more than Marty McFly’s hoverboard, which functioned like a skateboard. Last year, a company named Hendo developed a real-life hoverboard that uses magnetic levitation technology. It’s not ready for the sidewalk, but the technology is real, and it exists!

Almost everyone wears smartwatch style gadgets and wristbands. We have had wearable technology for a while… but this is the year of the Apple Watch. Marty’s future kids wear headsets at the dinner table, which can make and receive calls as well as watch TV. These bluetooth anticipating headsets, had cameras, magnification and access to some sort of unspecified database of information. Sound familiar? It was remarkably close to capabilities of smartphones and Google Glass. The movie goes further, anticipating a widespread rollout of such technology to the domestic realm, even that numerous home technologies interact with each other just as they do today.

An accurate observation is that we do indeed live a world of never ending sequels and spin-offs. In 2015, Hill Valley screened Jaws 19 in 3D directed by Max Spielberg. OK, maybe a slight exaggeration. Max, did not follow in his father’s footsteps, 3D is everywhere though, as are sequels.

Lorraine, Marty’s mother, fixes dinner for six by placing a coaster-sized pizza into a ‘Hydrator’ for a couple of seconds. In 12 seconds the 4 inch pizza grew to 15 inches, piping hot. This machine in 2015 ‘hydrated’ foods, in a similar way to a microwave. “Boy, oh boy, Mom, you sure know how to hydrate a pizza.” Sadly, this device has not yet come to pass. Fast food is still as popular though.

Plasma flat-screens are every where in the future, filling walls, popping up as billboards and on window blinds. As well as anticipating such a change in hardware, Gale and Zemeckis rightly assumed that TV watching will remain a popular hobby for teenagers, and that a multi-screen experience will be the norm, a grid of six different channels at once. Future McFly takes a video call on a AT&T-powered flat-screen- remarkably close was Skype. These come with rolling info about the caller; names of children, hobbies and food preferences; which scroll along the bottom of the screen, similar to the style of social media. A prediction of Facebook?

As much of what they did get right, the film overstates the pace: we don’t yet have remote-control litter bins or dog walkers [there is probably an app for that though] and waiters have not been replaced by TV screens, automated supermarket checkouts have led to some redundancies though…

Thankfully, they didn’t accurately predict the fashion. It’s a relief that the double-tie hasn’t taken off. Though, a size-adjustable, self- drying jacket would prove convenient. I don’t think we are desperate need of Nike self-tying trainers, regardless, we may have a version at the end of 2015 though.

The film will always remain a nostalgic classic. On October 21st, make sure you re-watch, [or newbies if you haven’t seen it already-Shame on you!] so you can be in the exact time where Marty McFly travelled to in the far advanced, alien year of 2015.

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Netflix And Vimeo To Launch On Oculus VR Headset

Netflix, Vimeo and US television network FOX have partnered with Oculus to bring their programming into virtual reality.

Once the Oculus VR headset finally hits stores this November, users will be able to watch content from these providers via the device, allowing for a completely immersive experience.

Oculus chief technology officer John Carmack said: “Despite all the talk of hardcore gamers, a lot of people want to watch movies and shows in virtual reality. In fact, during the development of Gear VR, Samsung internally referred to it as the ‘Head Mounted Theatre’. Current VR headsets can’t match a high end real world home theatre, but in many conditions the best seat in the house may be in the Gear VR that you pull out of your backpack.”

Vimeo’s vice president of product Christoper Gillet added: “Although it’s still early days for VR, we’re already seeing its adoption amongst some of the most talented filmmakers using our platform and will continue to expand the content offering within Oculus in the near future.”

The headset will be compatible with Samsung devices and will cost £65 in the UK.

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All You Need To Know About The New Apple TV

Apple has unveiled its all-new Apple TV, complete with its own app store and operating system, to be released in October.

The announcement took place yesterday (September 9) at Apple’s September 2015 event. Chief Executive Tim Cook also unveiled a new, larger iPad called the iPad Pro, and the new iPhone 6S, which is able to detect how hard users are pressing its screen.

Similarly to the competing Roku set top box, the new Apple TV uses a remote control and can be controlled by voice. Unlike Roku, however, the remote control features a touchpad, and more sophisticated voice control to search for content. Users can now simply say “find me [actor name]’s films” and receive matches. In addition, the search can also be extended to search across all apps on the device, such as Netflix, HBO Go, and so on.

Apple have been beaten to introducing apps to set top boxes by rival Roku, but the firm seems determined to catch up, with the new Apple TV sporting its own app store and the ability to play video games.

Speaking of these additions, Cook said: “The future of TV is apps.”

For all those who would like to know more, we’ve compiled a technical breakdown of how the new Apple TV fares against the original 2012 model:

First Look: Danny Boyle’s Steve Jobs Biopic

The trailer for the eagerly anticipated Steve Jobs biopic has arrived. Headed at the healm by director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire), scriptwriter Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing) and producer… read more

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First Look: Danny Boyle’s Steve Jobs Biopic

The trailer for the eagerly anticipated Steve Jobs biopic has arrived.

Headed at the healm by director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire), scriptwriter Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing) and producer Scott Rudin (The Grand Budapest Hotel), the title has attracted an onslaught of heavy-weight actors that has only accelerated the anticipation around the project’s release.

With Michael Fassbender in the title role, surrounded by Seth Rogen, Jeff Daniels, Katherine Waterston, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Kate Winslet, who plays Apple exec Joanna Hoffman, the trailer is bound to get blood pumping.

Unlike the Jobs movie of 2013, Boyle’s picture looks to three of Jobs’ most momentous tech launches, mixed in with occasional flashbacks which Winslet in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, states is “extraordinary.”

The Oscar-winning actress goes on to say: “Each act takes place backstage and literally ends with [Fassbender] walking from the wings on to the stage to rapturous applause.”